Looking Back: Children's TV blocks: TNBC and UPN Kids

The Flashback Children's TV  UPN  NBC 
                                          
         Some blocks were not long lived enough to warrant it's own post  others because the block was around for a long time but didn't do much.  These are the cases for the blocks we are taking a look back at Today.  First, TNBC (Teen NBC in English). But to talk about this block we have to talk about "Saved By The Bell" (Yeah sounds confusing doesn't it? Hang with us)    2 Things : 1) This is the show that changed Saturday Morning TV for NBC , 2) We have to talk about Disney Channel.
    "Saved by the bell" Began  in 1989 on NBC , but let's go back further (time machine).  "Good Morning ,Miss" is where this show comes from... it began on Disney Channel created by NBC for Disney Channel (Now that's something) . It stared actress Hayely Mills ("The Parent Trap" )   , she played the teacher for Zach Morris, Lisa Turtle ,and Screech.  They were in 8th Grade. After 13 Episodes it was canceled. (The  End ?)


   Good Morning , Miss Bliss  /Youtube


   So NBC not wanting to give up ( persevering  is good|  E/I)  so they picked up the show and decided to create a spin-off , of sorts. It was changed to be in LA instead of Indy (awwww) , and they would be in High School , and no Miss Bliss.  They kept Zach, Screech, and Lisa and added some new characters (A.C Slater) .  The new show aried on NBC and it became very popular and high rated.
      In 1992 ,NBC was very happy that "Saved by the Bell" was doing so well they decided  that they were going to convert their entire Saturday Morning line up.
     First , they threw out the cartoons and other kids programs  (not literally , maybe literally) kind of ironic twist that after FOX started kids programming , NBC bows out.  Second, they gave something to adults (oooh my ) and maybe news loving kids , A Saturday edition of the "Today Show". (Yay?) Third, they started a new block for teenagers (old kids).  The centerpiece was "Saved By The Bell" , it was so important to them it aired twice a  Saturday.  2  new programs  included : "Name Your Adventure" a teen reality series where Mario Lopez, Jordan Brady , and Tatyana Ali help  teens' dreams come true.  The other series was "California Dreams"  (same executive producer as "Saved by The Bell", this block was made for him you'll see what I mean)  The Show was  a sitcom that focused on teenagers (take that Disney Channel)  and it showed their issues about growing up.
     Funny thing about a block that was built because of success of "Saved By The Bell" , the program that helped birth it ended in 1993.  So what did they do ? They created a spin-off (like you do , remember "Joey" ? )  "Saved By the Bell :The New Class" This show ran longer than it's parent show ( 8 years , 143 episodes) and became the anchor this block.   The series focused on Bayside HighSchool and Mr. Belding after our original cast has moved on.   A show about high school students  can go three ways : 1 . Normal progression , 2: The same kids going to High School  longer than 4 years (they didn't study very well) 3: End the show after a focus set of characters "leave the school".  "The  New Class" did the first thing , but not just that they would change people in the season and not tell you what happened. ("Hey , where's Steve?" , ,"Steve is away , we talk about Steve" ) Then they had to bring back Screech (Dustin Diamond) from the original "Saved By the Bell".  Anyway, it aried 7 years on TNBC. (Now on DVD , Bing it )
   
    Who are these people?   NBC/Youtube

   Other programs over the 10 years this block lived were : "Brains and Brawn" a teen game show  hosted by Mark-Paul Gosselaar ( Zach Morris ) , "Running the Halls" , "Hang Time" , "City Guys" , "One World (like City guys and the Saved by the bell shows were by Peter Engel ). Teen comedy-drama " Just Deal" (yeah dude) co-created by Thomas Lynch (creator of "The Secret World of Alex Mac)  , he also created Sk8  (Skate?) for this block , and "All about us".  The block pretty much ran that way with one or two new series a season.  In that 10 year period , things changed  , the E/I rule came into effect forcing stations to have education shows for under 16's ,this block  fulfilled that need  already. Disney had bought ABC , Viacom and CBS had merged (then divorced in 2005). But NBC deiced to get out of  producing their own Children's -Teen TV  ( The E/I rule affected advertising rules therefore money)  so they sold their time to Discovery.  Teen NBC bowed out in September of 2002 and Discovery Kids on NBC came in the next week.  (Read about that , if you haven't already, here)

Now we continue after the Jump , please join us



   
    Show opens   NBC
 
   Now to UPN  Kids (wait , UPN had Kids?)

       When I said short lived , I meant this.  When UPN network was launched in January 1995 (same time as the WB)  it was like FOX and the WB ,it had former independent stations as affiliates and many of those aired children's tv shows anyway. So , in September 1995, UPN launched   UPN Kids (that was a hard name to think up),  a two hour children's TV block. It was a rebel , instead of being a block on Saturday morning it was on Sunday Morning . (It was helpful to stations that had existing contracts  with syndicated t blocks , was in an area where a fox station didn't air Fox kids so it did, a dual FOX/or WB and UPN affiliate)  It also aired Monday -Friday Mornings (yeah we meant mornings) .
   
   They know that's not a word right ?

  Some of the series featured in the first two years were  mostly cartoons : "Teknoman" an anime import (thanks Saban, wait , weren't they working with Fox?) Repeats of "Duck Tales" , "Bureau  of Alien Detectors " (Also later ran on Fox Kids) , "The Incredible Hulk" (thanks Saban) , "Jumanji " (an animated series. After about 2 years they changed directions , just a little , they added some live-action shows  aimed at teenagers (ah there's our connection) . These programs included : "Sweet Valley High" (repeats) and "Breaker High" (Thanks..oh you know who)

 
   There's Ryan Gosling ... Ryan Gosling fans

 Anyway, after  4 years they packed up after making a deal with Disney to bring us Disney's One Too   and UPN's very short lived attempt at programming it's own Children's TV block ended.